Jerusalem - Former Chief Rabbi: Mama Rochel Gaza Miracle Story True

Jerusalem - Former Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, recovering from a life-threatening disease, prayed several times at Rachel’s Tomb before the recent war in Gaza. Informed that an “old woman” saved IDF soldiers’ lives in Gaza, he said, “Did she mention that I sent her?”

The story was first told by Rabbi Lazer Brody, a rabbi in Ashdod who “devotes his time to spreading faith around the globe via Breslov Israel and the Emuna Outreach organization” that he founded. Rabbi Brody told IsraelNationalNews that he receives many phone calls in the framework of his work – including a particularly noteworthy one about two weeks ago. “The caller, an Israeli man, was clearly knowledgeable about how IDF infantry troops operate,” the rabbi and former IDF special-unit veteran said, “and this is what he told me:”

‘My son is in the Givati Brigade, and his unit’s job is to clean out areas around Gaza City. Outside one house, a woman dressed in black appeared and started yelling at them in Arabic, ‘Ruchu min hon – Get out of here! It’s dangerous!’ The troops thought she might be trying to protect her family, but they didn’t want to take chances; the company commander called the regiment commander, and they went on to their next target. There, too, the same woman appeared and gave the same warning. The soldiers thought she probably came somehow through the tunnel network that Hamas had set up between houses, and one of the soldiers even yelled at her… Then they went to a third house – and the same woman appeared again. This time, all the soldiers froze.

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‘The soldiers then hooked up with a Golani Engineering force whose job it was to blow up houses that were found to be booby-trapped. My son’s unit asked them to check these three houses – and they found that all three of the houses that the woman had warned them away from had been booby-trapped.”

The story did not receive high-level confirmation, though it made the ranks of the rumor mills - and many dismissed it as just that. Then, on Monday night of this week, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, the Chief Rabbi of Tzfat and son of former Chief Rabbi of Israel Mordechai Eliyahu, was teaching students in Machon Meir in Jerusalem about the sublime level of soldiers fighting on behalf of Israel. Click below to hear Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu telling the story in Hebrew

”

In this connection, he said:
“There are soldiers who have been telling that in some places where they went in, there was a woman who told them not to enter certain buildings because they were booby-trapped, and that she said her name was Rachel… I asked a certain Yeshiva dean about this story, and he told me that it wasn’t a ‘story,’ but that he actually knew one of the soldiers involved, and he told me his name.

“Then the Yeshiva dean asked me if it was in any way connected with the fact that my father, Rabbi Eliyahu, had left the hospital before the war and went to pray not once, not twice, but three times at Rachel’s Tomb, and went nowhere else to pray? I told him I didn’t know, but that I would ask.

“In truth, I was a little bit afraid to ask him, because he usually dismisses these kinds of stories… But I decided to go, and I asked him, ‘Do you remember that you told us one time about Rabbi Shalom Mutzafi, of blessed memory, during World War II, when the Germans seemed about to enter the Holy Land, and he prayed at Kever Rachel against the decree, and he said that he actually saw Rachel praying. [My father] said yes, he remembers.

“So I told him about this story that I had heard, and I asked him, ‘Should we believe it? Is it truth?’ And he said, ‘Yes, it’s true.’ I asked him to explain, and he said - in these words: ‘I told her: Rachel, a war is on! Don’t withhold your voice from crying [based on Jeremiah 31,14-16]! Go before G-d, and pray for the soldiers, who are sacrificing themselves for the Nation of Israel, that they should strike - and not be stricken.’

“I told him, “Well, you should know that she really did that.” So he asked, “Did she mention that I sent her?”

“Everyone should then make his own calculation,” Rabbi Eliyahu the son then continued. “If this is the great level of the soldiers, and if this is the great power of prayer, then how can anyone say anything against them?...”

2

Jan 20, 2009 at 05:55 PMRoman Says:

What an amazing story. Off course it should be posted. I believe that R' Mordechai Eliyahu shlita has enough credibility that when he confirms a story such as this, we should take it as truth and use it to strengthen our emunah!

8

Jan 20, 2009 at 05:41 PMBlown away Says:

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Jan 20, 2009 at 05:41 PMAnonymous Says:

The rav at my husbands shuld told this story the shabbos before last.I heard this story again last week...and then reiterated by an editor at Hamodia. I asked if Hamodia would post it, and was told no.So, I am pleased to see it documented here.thank you

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Jan 20, 2009 at 08:08 PMAnonymous Says:

This stuff is such garbage. last week stories about not going to Manhattan turned out to be flat out false.

A few years ago only idiots believed that there was a fish that was talking to people but not just people but some goy who worked in a jewish fish store!

Now we have mama rochel in this story as an old lady and then the one who supposedly davened for this miracle to happen to the soldiers is so humble and has the nerve to ask :“Did she mention that I sent her?”

This is stupidity in it's highest form.

I do not know what is more stupid the story or Obama becoming the 44th president today.

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Jan 20, 2009 at 08:42 PMAnonymous Says:

“
This stuff is such garbage. last week stories about not going to Manhattan turned out to be flat out false.

A few years ago only idiots believed that there was a fish that was talking to people but not just people but some goy who worked in a jewish fish store!

Now we have mama rochel in this story as an old lady and then the one who supposedly davened for this miracle to happen to the soldiers is so humble and has the nerve to ask :“Did she mention that I sent her?”

This is stupidity in it's highest form.

I do not know what is more stupid the story or Obama becoming the 44th president today.”

I agree with your thought on his reaction... Did she at least say who sent her? If I were his son giving the lecture, I would have left out that part as to avoid Bizyoines for my father!

26

Jan 20, 2009 at 08:40 PMAnonymous Says:

This doesn't even rise to the level of a Bubba Meisa...its an insult to brave soldiers of the IDF who are the best trained in the world and don't need some mythical figure who sounds more like the owner of a felalfel stand in Bnai Brak

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Jan 20, 2009 at 06:42 PMMiriam Says:

Please -- if you believe this, I've got a talking fish from Monsey I can sell you. This makes frumkeit seem so childish. Why can't we just accept that an old Arab woman tipped them off -whether because she didn't want her home caught in a crossfire or blown up in an exchange of mortars or because she was just someone who had compassion on some young Israeli soldiers. If Mamma Rachel is in the business of intervening in human affairs to save Jewish lives, I can think of several million cases down throught the ages where she failed to show up.

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Jan 20, 2009 at 09:13 PMAnonymous Says:

I don't understand how someone can say they believe in miracles but can't believe this story. a miracle is a supernatural event. if you believe in miracles you must at least believe that this story COULD have happened.secondly- R' Lazer Brody, R' Eliyahu Sr, & R' Eliyahu Jr are all credible g-d fearing people. if they in fact put their name behind this story- I would be tempted to believe it.

Jan 20, 2009 at 09:55 PMjew boy Says:

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Jan 20, 2009 at 09:42 PMAnonymous Says:

One Reason Kvod Harov Mordechai Eliyahu Shlita asked if “Did she mention that I sent her?” could because he wanted to know for himself if this is at all connected or not. Miraculous would have been if she did say he sent her. Otherwise, Its just a nice story. and B"H it happened anyway. Miracle in its own right that a Civilian helped save some soldiers from a bad situation. Hodu L'Hashem Ki Tov..

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Jan 20, 2009 at 10:16 PMbigwheeel Says:

“
Sorry, I do believe many of the Rebbishe stories, and have witnessed a few myself. But this story rates a "2" on my 1 to 100 credibility scale.

1. It just does not ring true.2. Why and OLD woman?3. Why in Arabic?4. It just does not sound true.5. I just do not believe it.

Is it heart warming? YESIs it motivating? YESDoes it tug on emotions? YESIs it true? NO .... sorry ”

...It's definitely heartwarming, but it could be lumped together with the [famous] fish story that [supposedly] happened in New Square!!! Oh, one thing. It sells newspapers. When the fish story published, you couldn't get a newspaper in B.P.!!

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Jan 20, 2009 at 10:07 PMAnonymous Says:

Having all these heilege rabbonim call it a "miracle" doesn't make it any less of a bubba meisa....if your going to spread a "miracle rumor" then at least make it sound credible, not this kind of nareshkite.....it sounds like the kind of story that is sent along with the pushke I get every few months from the Yeshiva of Rav Meir bal hanes...

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Jan 20, 2009 at 10:07 PMstop whyning Says:

What difference does it make if it happened or not? The main thing we need to believe is that it could have and could happen (hashem can do anything). It doesn't make any difference and it doesn't change anything. So all of you stop whyning about this.

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Jan 20, 2009 at 10:46 PMLoshon Hora Says:

Like the Dibuk story B4 elections to get votes for shas. All rabonim were asked their take, those who claimed fake, were chalenged that being Indian Jews who lived between Idol worshipers how would they make up a majic story, but when the money didn't come, all the matirim of the so called dibuk turned colors.Not that these stories haven't or couldn't happen, but to put Rochel Imeinu to it, is just you know what, who would not melt from seeing her? & would she not be able to blow up the houses without help of the army if she already came,? Many more questions could be asked.Some of Eastern Jewery also believes in fairy tails as part of emuna peshuta, see the maaseh nisim about Baba sali, for that matter shlomo Carlibach could have made up a story like this too.I am sorry I don't buy it, and I don't think it should be told about Rochel Imeinu, Please!!

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Jan 21, 2009 at 03:33 AMAnonymous Says:

“
Please -- if you believe this, I've got a talking fish from Monsey I can sell you. This makes frumkeit seem so childish. Why can't we just accept that an old Arab woman tipped them off -whether because she didn't want her home caught in a crossfire or blown up in an exchange of mortars or because she was just someone who had compassion on some young Israeli soldiers. If Mamma Rachel is in the business of intervening in human affairs to save Jewish lives, I can think of several million cases down throught the ages where she failed to show up. ”

BS"D

I think that if this story ever happened, the woman who warned them was an old Arab woman who like many people in Gaza is totally fed up with Hamas.

I have nothing but respect for Rav Eliyahu shlit"a, but is he in any physical condition to go to Kever Rochel and daven?

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Jan 21, 2009 at 01:37 AMAnonymous Says:

Question: I have never heard a story of Eliyahu, or any of our Great Heroes of past; ever saying their name. We assume it must have been Eliyahu, maybe Rochel Imaynu. But when would they hhave the ego to say their name?Just doesn't make sense.Could there have been a woman in black? Why not .... Hashem does many miracles in many ways. But would a Navi say their name? I doubt it!

Jan 21, 2009 at 01:36 AMAnonymous Says:

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Jan 21, 2009 at 01:23 AMAnonymous Says:

I live in Beer Sheva. Last Friday night in shul instead of a drosha I had to listen to a Gaza Golani story with Chabad overtones. Now I see this Gaza Givati AND Golani story with Breslav overtones. I am sure this is what I will hear in shul this coming Shabat instead of a drosha, embellished of course. And the following shabat I assume there will be a Gaza story that combines Golani, Givati and the Tzanchanim. I wonder who will be the sponsoring chasidut.

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Jan 21, 2009 at 01:18 AMNishtTseGlieben Says:

Many many many questions. One that hasn't been asked- Who in this Dor is on the Madrega to "send" Mama Rachel anywhere? Who if he is on the Madrega goes and publicly takes credit for it. There are so many other nissim that we could have used so many times we could have used Mama Rachel. Why these soldiers. Why not Mumbai or the 1000,s of other examples through the years. Please Im getting nauseous....This is not even worthy of being called a shtus or a sheker it is lunacy.

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Jan 21, 2009 at 01:13 AMAnonymous Says:

Why are all of you so disturbed if it is true or not. why do some people get so hysterical?? It is true it is not true... I dont see any reason to get heated up. Emes or not, I am more interested why some people are so annoyed by this story. What does it take to believe. What will they need to give up if they do believe?? and you know all I can say is who knows, not me and definitely not all these people who so certainly get hyped up.

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Jan 20, 2009 at 11:57 PMRachael Says:

and to you critics of R. Mordechai Eliyahu....when i was in labor 2 months ago i almost had a cesarian because of difficulties until my husband ran upstairs (i was in shaarei tzedek) and got a bracha from the Rav who was still there recovering...at the moment he davened for me the baby came out- no surgery! when my husband came back downstairs our baby was already delivered. the Rav told my husband to then do a kappara over me and he told us that at that moment we accepted a certain neder.

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Jan 20, 2009 at 11:54 PMRachael Says:

in israel the story is old news already- i heard it right after it happened! the jews in galut are the last to know.

of course they wont publicize it globally because of people with lack of emuna who will dismiss it as a fairytale rather than use it as inspiration to keep davening for our soldiers and am yisrael in this time of trouble.

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Jan 21, 2009 at 08:26 AMAnonymous Says:

Is the story true?I dont knowHowever, if it is, I would not want to be the one caught dead mocking our "Mama Rachel" who may very well have been tied to this story. Sometimes our thoughts should be left in our mind! We need Mama Rachels Zchusim and Nissim. Let us just say "Thank you Mama Rachel for everything, and possibly for this story as well"

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Jan 21, 2009 at 09:13 AMAnonymous Says:

“
Sorry, I do believe many of the Rebbishe stories, and have witnessed a few myself. But this story rates a "2" on my 1 to 100 credibility scale.

1. It just does not ring true.2. Why and OLD woman?3. Why in Arabic?4. It just does not sound true.5. I just do not believe it.

Is it heart warming? YESIs it motivating? YESDoes it tug on emotions? YESIs it true? NO .... sorry ”

Is there a difference beween "doesn't ring true", and "doesn't sound true"? Please enlighten me because all these reasons are very valid, and they might very well convince me that the stroy's not true. LOL

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Jan 21, 2009 at 10:05 AMAnonymous Says:

“
Is there a difference beween "doesn't ring true", and "doesn't sound true"? Please enlighten me because all these reasons are very valid, and they might very well convince me that the stroy's not true. LOL ”

"Sound true" implies the plausibility of the content.

"Ring true" is harder to explain. It is a feeling one gets from reading or hearing something.

77

Jan 21, 2009 at 10:17 AMMenachem Says:

All Rav Eliyahu did was to confirm that the story is true, not that it was Rochel. Much more plausibly; of the many Palestinians in Gaza who risked (and gave) their lives to help the IDF in targeting it's quite likely that such a women would have been one of them or someone with similar ideology.

78

Jan 21, 2009 at 10:41 AMAnonymous Says:

whether the story is true or not is irrelevent as "rochel mvaka al bunehu" is a posuk and she is defenately aware of klall yisroels tzoros and being mispallel and asking the ribono shel olam for rachmnus for am yisroel how when where or what is irrelevent

80

Jan 21, 2009 at 10:57 AMezras nashim Says:

this was the funniest string I ever read in my life -- hilarious! The only wrong reflex is when you insult a talmid chacham or a Gadol b'Yisrael. I WISH WISH WISH the editors would just edit out statements despising any chachamim not accused of an odious crime. It's heartless -- as well as chutzpadik -- to denigrate an elderly Rav who has devoted his life to Torah and klal Yisrael.

As for mocking ostensible miracles or simplistically believing in miracles: that's what we Yidden are all about. We disagree on everything except shmiras hamitzvos and Torah miSinai. I believe that the Aibishter is out there protecting or not-protecting us every second of our lives. I don't know in what form, and I will never know. So I just find the story charming, endearing. Anything IS possible, we know. So why get all upset?! And some of you scorners are first-class comedians! You had me laughing out loud. To me, this shows another miracle in the string of miracles that is Jewish history: a people so smart, incisive, and impatient with shtusim could never have put up with 40 years in a midbar following a cloud unless they had proof positive of yetzias mitzraim and Torah mipi Hashem.

82

Jan 21, 2009 at 01:07 PMAskipeh Hanidreses Says:

If this story is true or not I don't know, but it surely could have happened. I would be very interested in hearing it first hand or at least, be told a name of a living person who says that she spoke to him. Let me try to add a little shmaltz, if I may. When Yosef Hatzadik was taken by the Yishmoelim to Mitzrayim, he most likely was taken through what is now Azah (Gaza). At the start of his journey of tears, he passed through the kever of HIS Mama Rochel, and SHE CAME OUT and cried with him and told him that she won't stop crying and pleading with Hashem until "veshovi bonim legvulom". She delivered the goods and eventually he was taken out of the dungeon and became “Mishneh Lemelech” of the mighty Egyptian Empire. So it would not be far fetched that some soldiers having “Gilad Shalit” on their mind, were thinking of the similarity of Yosef in the hands of the Mitzriyim/Azan’s (same thing). I have heard from two of my grandparents that in WWII they saw Eliyaho Hanovi, and they aint kidding, they tell a very believable tale. If this particular story is true we’ll only know if the participants in this story confirm it. Regardless, every one of us has seen open nissim happen to them, as we say in “Modim”, “ve’al nisecho shebchol yom imonu”. It is mind boggling how a person can see open nissim before their eyes and live through a lifetime without recognizing that “SOMEONE” made these miracles.

86

Jan 21, 2009 at 11:00 PMMilhouse Says:

“
Many many many questions. One that hasn't been asked- Who in this Dor is on the Madrega to "send" Mama Rachel anywhere? Who if he is on the Madrega goes and publicly takes credit for it. There are so many other nissim that we could have used so many times we could have used Mama Rachel. Why these soldiers. Why not Mumbai or the 1000,s of other examples through the years. Please Im getting nauseous....This is not even worthy of being called a shtus or a sheker it is lunacy. ”

R Eliyahu is definitely on that madrega. This is not some shnook we're talking about. And the fact is that he did say it, or so reports R Shmuel. Therefore it was appropriate for him to say it.

88

Jan 21, 2009 at 10:31 PMMilhouse Says:

“
This stuff is such garbage. last week stories about not going to Manhattan turned out to be flat out false.

A few years ago only idiots believed that there was a fish that was talking to people but not just people but some goy who worked in a jewish fish store!

Now we have mama rochel in this story as an old lady and then the one who supposedly davened for this miracle to happen to the soldiers is so humble and has the nerve to ask :“Did she mention that I sent her?”

This is stupidity in it's highest form.

I do not know what is more stupid the story or Obama becoming the 44th president today.”

And you have the nerve to speak like that about R Eliyahu? Like it or not, he said it; who are you to criticize his "nerve" and demand that he be "humble"? You would probably demand the same from Moshe Rabbenu.

89

Jan 21, 2009 at 10:25 PMMilhouse Says:

Does anybody remember the Rambam's 13 ikkarim, the one about praying to Hashem only, not to intermediaries? ”

That's right, Jews do pray to our holy ancestors and leaders, to intercede for us with Hashem, and also to help us directly (e.g. as Rachel is said to have done in this instance, or as Eliyahu has been recorded as having done thousands of times). You, on the other hand, are not a Jew but a Protestant.

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Jan 22, 2009 at 12:09 AMa smart person Says:

How do you know it's true?and you yes you >> how do you know its not true?

it is either true or not true there is no in between. Since we only hear the story second hand. We have no reason to believe that it did take place. And yet it is foolish to say that it not take place. how do you know either way?

93

Jan 21, 2009 at 11:30 PMMilhouse Says:

“
Many many many questions. One that hasn't been asked- Who in this Dor is on the Madrega to "send" Mama Rachel anywhere? Who if he is on the Madrega goes and publicly takes credit for it. There are so many other nissim that we could have used so many times we could have used Mama Rachel. Why these soldiers. Why not Mumbai or the 1000,s of other examples through the years. Please Im getting nauseous....This is not even worthy of being called a shtus or a sheker it is lunacy. ”

What bothers me is all the outright apikorsim, who aren't just skeptical about whether a particular incident did happen, but who don't believe that it even COULD be true, because they don't believe in miracles at all. They don't believe there ever was a Rochel, or that she can hear people's requests, or that she can answer them, because they are apikorsim gemurim. So what are they doing reading this site?

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Jan 22, 2009 at 01:07 AMAnonymous Says:

“
in israel the story is old news already- i heard it right after it happened! the jews in galut are the last to know.

of course they wont publicize it globally because of people with lack of emuna who will dismiss it as a fairytale rather than use it as inspiration to keep davening for our soldiers and am yisrael in this time of trouble.

i believe its true. ”

Ppl in isreal are not in galut? If getting rocketed daily is called "geulu", and living in peace in the US is "gullut" I will have to reconsider my wishes......

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Jan 22, 2009 at 10:00 AMAnonymous Says:

I have no idea what exactly the father said or whether his son repeated it accuratly but I'll tell you what I was told directly by one of the most quoted roshai yeshiva in America: Don't believe anything said in my name until you hear it directly from me.

I was at the side of a posaik when he was asked why he had paskened in a certain way on a very unusual shiloh. There is probably nothing in ShU"T like this shiloh partly because as unusual as it is today it was almost impossible to have been an issue more than 75 or 100 years ago, at most.

He said (not an exact quote as I forgot the exact wording he used) he had not even been asked the shiloh but there is no way to stop people from quoting anything they want to quote.

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Feb 02, 2009 at 07:01 PMBugsy Siegel Says:

“
This stuff is such garbage. last week stories about not going to Manhattan turned out to be flat out false.

A few years ago only idiots believed that there was a fish that was talking to people but not just people but some goy who worked in a jewish fish store!

Now we have mama rochel in this story as an old lady and then the one who supposedly davened for this miracle to happen to the soldiers is so humble and has the nerve to ask :“Did she mention that I sent her?”

This is stupidity in it's highest form.

I do not know what is more stupid the story or Obama becoming the 44th president today.”

The guy with the talking fish is my relative. It is possible that such a thing could happen. But don't expect these things. After all miracles don't happen every day, otherwise they wouldn't be called miracles. As for my relative, he has tired of talking of the story, but as I wasn't there I cannot independently verify it. However, it is possible. Also, in the fish story the Hispanic fish cutter also verified the story and said it over in a different way. It is unlikely that they collaborated to make up a story.